shocking incident happened in Mumbai..


Mumbai Mirror Article - http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=15&contentid=20111117201111170251596956d51aa85

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Posted On Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 02:51:51 AM

A day after Mumbai Mirror reported the story of 100-year-old Flame Drake, who helplessly lay in bed while her daughter died of a cardiac arrest in the same room, the full extent of her tragedy was revealed.

Old-age homes in the city don’t want to take her in, her younger daughter remains untraceable, and her brother, who lives only a few kilometres away, is refusing to either come to her aid or help organise his niece’s funeral.

With no one stepping forward, staff at the Christ Church compound, where Flame lives, had locked her inside the house for the night. “We have no one to take care of her after 10 pm. We have locked the door for her own safety. She is anyway bedridden and can’t move,” Charles Duckworth, the manager of Christ Church, told Mumbai Mirror.

Meanwhile, the body of Blossom Drake, 70, who was lying dead for two days before the cops broke into the house, is still in the morgue. “We have to wait for seven days for a relative to claim the body. Since no one is stepping forward, we’re helpless,” said Sanjay Kadam, the Senior Inspector of Nagpada police station.

Cops said the big question before them is, who will take care of Flame. \"We spoke to old-age homes but they don't want her because she's bedridden and weak, and needs someone to be with her at all times. She requires sponging, cleaning, and can eat only liquids or semi-solids,\" he said.

\"We contacted her younger brother, Franco Dyson, but he told us he's unable to take care of her, or even arrange for the last rites of Blossom. We've been trying everything we can. Flame says she doesn't want to leave the house, and for the moment, we have decided not to force her. We will appoint someone to look after her. But for how long?\"

When the police had entered the house on Tuesday, the scene was as chaotic as it was pitiful. There were bundles of clothes strewn around, a bunch of medicines on a small table near a crowded dresser, and the two women, one lying dead on a bed in the far end of the room, and the other, Flame, unfed for two days, crying, \"She's dead. She's dead.\"

While Blossom's body had been taken away on Tuesday evening, the cops got a couple of sweepers to clean the house on Wednesday morning. \"We got the place swept and dusted and somehow got rid of the stench from the decomposing body.\" Flame was so hungry and weak from her ordeal that when they offered her dal-rice and fruits, she ate happily.

Nisar Tamboli, the spokesman of the Mumbai police, said his department would not be able to take care of Flame indefinitely. \"Our first priority is to see if she is requires any medical treatment. If that's the case, we will shift her to government hospital where they take care of such senior citizens.\"

Flame's house is on the first-floor of a quaint bungalow within the Christ Church compound in Byculla. The Drakes have been tenants of the property for 40 years, when Flame was given the house on compassionate grounds as a single mother bringing up two daughters. However, when the church wanted the property back, Flame's refusal to leave resulted in a court case.

Manager Charles Duckworth said they were now trying to contact Flame's younger daughter, who lives in Canada. \"I believe a family friend has approached her. Hopefully she will come to Mumbai.\"
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update:

Help starts pouring in for Flame


After two days of uncertainty, the 100-year-old woman who helplessly watched her daughter die in their flat, gets many caregivers
By Lata Mishra
Posted On Friday, November 18, 2011




Two days after Mumbai Mirror first reported the story of 100-year-old Flame Drake, who watched helplessly as her 70-year-old daughter died of a heart attack in their house in Byculla’s Christ Church compound, help has started pouring in for her.

Though initially some old-age homes and NGOs refused to take Flame saying that she was bedridden and weak, and needed someone to be with her at all times, on Thursday, NGOs, family friends and individuals came forward to help her.

Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Kadam of Nagpada Police Station said, “After Mumbai Mirror’s report, many people, including Asha Sadan and a Panvel NGO, approached me saying they wanted to take care of Flame. But we are first trying to contact her younger daughter.”

Kadam said if no one from Flame’s family agreed to look after her, police would hand over the centenarian to Asha Sadan. He added, “We’re happy that two persons have also come forward to do the last rites of Flame’s daughter Blossom Drake.”

On Wednesday, when Mirror visited Flame’s house, a friend of Blossom was taking care of her.

“I was shocked to read about Flame’s plight. Blossom was a very dear friend. Whenever I visited Christ Church, I would visit her,” said Juliet James who lives in Mira Road.

Juliet had brought food and fruits for Flame. She said Flame was very disturbed after Blossom’s death. She said her friend was very attached to her mother and was taking care of her for the past many years.

“Flame’s husband passed away when Blossom and her sister were young. Later, Blossom didn’t marry because she wanted to be with Flame,” said Juliet, adding that she would come everyday to feed Flame till she was rehabilitated.

Christ Church officials said Flame’s younger daughter, who lives abroad, is likely to reach India on Saturday. Charles Duckworth, manager of the church, said, “It all depends on the daughter’s decision. Only then, we will know where Flame will be headed.”

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